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Synonym Chooser

How is the word avid distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of avid are anxious, athirst, eager, and keen. While all these words mean "moved by a strong and urgent desire or interest," avid adds to eager the implication of insatiability or greed.

avid for new thrills

When might anxious be a better fit than avid?

Although the words anxious and avid have much in common, anxious emphasizes fear of frustration or failure or disappointment.

anxious not to make a social blunder

Where would athirst be a reasonable alternative to avid?

The meanings of athirst and avid largely overlap; however, athirst stresses yearning but not necessarily readiness for action.

athirst for adventure

When could eager be used to replace avid?

While in some cases nearly identical to avid, eager implies ardor and enthusiasm and sometimes impatience at delay or restraint.

eager to get started

When is it sensible to use keen instead of avid?

The synonyms keen and avid are sometimes interchangeable, but keen suggests intensity of interest and quick responsiveness in action.

keen on the latest fashions

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of avid Residents who live near a fishing location, spend a lot of time near the water or are avid boaters are encouraged to get involved. Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Apr. 2025 The avid dancer, soccer player and star student competed in the Miss Pueblo County scholarship pageant, finishing last year as a runner-up for Miss Pre-Teen, Valdez told the outlet, adding that she had also been crowned Miss Spirit 2024. Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2025 El Monte resident Jen Venegas is an avid fan of the local library. Victoria Ivie, Oc Register, 12 Apr. 2025 Young has always been an avid reader, starting from the Scholastic book fairs at her elementary school. Desiree Mathurin, Charlotte Observer, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for avid
Recent Examples of Synonyms for avid
Adjective
  • Taylor, a charming extrovert who can make anyone feel comfortable, is eager to help Avery find new friends and learn to flirt with women.
    Diya Chacko, Oc Register, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Confidence in core institutions is badly shaken, and many Americans are eager for leaders who can restore stability and uphold fundamental rights.
    Marc Lester, Baltimore Sun, 22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Kolache fans headed to Florida's Gulf Coast shouldn't get too excited yet, though.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2025
  • His new kick-change has been a nice weapon against lefties and Taillon is excited about the pitch.
    Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Bad guys are selfish, greedy, and prone to speeches.
    John DeVore, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2025
  • Robert Redford delivers folksy wisdom as a local eccentric who once had his own dragon encounter, and even Karl Urban’s greedy logger is more of a nuisance than an outright villain.
    Josh Bell, Vulture, 21 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Eric Bailly was the most enthusiastic dancer, standing on the massage table giving it some and kicking pizza boxes.
    Andy Mitten, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Buehrle delighted a cold but enthusiastic crowd of 25,390 at the stadium during a 6-0 blanking of the Texas Rangers.
    Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • And how to be optimally developmental and transactional in an increasingly mercenary environment.
    Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 13 Mar. 2025
  • The prominent credit-card swiper offers 15 minutes for the high price of $15, and the show follows up on the Gemstones’ mercenary shamelessness later when someone working the telethon phone bank asks for a donor’s routing number.
    Scott Tobias, Vulture, 16 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Most of the protests have focused on President Donald Trump's policies and Elon Musk's sweeping federal cuts, of which Greene has been an ardent supporter.
    Arick Wierson, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Apr. 2025
  • The iconic singer was shot and killed in 1995, and this somber milestone was not missed by many of her most ardent supporters.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The comedy-drama follows a Gen Z content creator who returns to her ancestral home seeking viral material, only to encounter her deceased brother’s ghost while dealing with avaricious relatives.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Apr. 2025
  • This nation state, my home, is built on a quagmire of lies sold to the young as truths; sold to the insecure as truths; sold by the avaricious, the power-hungry, the conceited, the overwhelmingly white and male.
    Christine Winter, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • From an investment standpoint, the Mavericks head coach has been keen on football for some time.
    Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
  • Banerji talked up the success of The Shadow Strays and Hunger, the latter of which hit No. 1 worldwide, but also was keen to stress the company’s firsts for the region, notably producing Outside, the first Filipino zombie movie that was released in 2024.
    Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 29 Apr. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Avid.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/avid. Accessed 4 May. 2025.

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